Each year, children in the communities we serve are chosen to represent the patients treated at Marshfield Children’s Hospital.
This year, our Miracle Kids—Amaya, Bailee, Charlie, Naomi, Arianna and Emmet—each have a story to share and one thing in common. Their stories are made possible because of support from donors like you!
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Amaya’s story started somewhere unexpected—in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Marshfield Children’s Hospital.
At just shy of 27 weeks pregnant, Amaya’s mom suddenly developed HELLP syndrome and severe preeclampsia. Physicians at Marshfield Children’s Hospital performed an emergency delivery and Amaya was born weighing just 1 pound, 14 ounces.
Amaya spent 83 days in the NICU and was supported by specialized equipment until she was strong enough to go home. Over the years, she has struggled with asthma which resulted in pneumonia and hospital stays when she was younger. Today, thanks to her specialty care, her asthma is better managed so she can stay active and healthy.
Amaya has defied the odds and today is a healthy, kind-hearted, and bright eleven-year-old. She loves spending time with her family, learning at school and telling stories. Amaya shares her gentle nature and a smile with everyone she meets.
Watch Amaya's video
After an injury she experienced at the age of three, Bailee continued to complain of aches and pains. As time and her symptoms continued, her doctor ordered testing for childhood arthritis. Bailee’s results came back showing something her family never imagined: low white blood cells.
A diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) was a whirlwind. Thankfully, the family had an instant support system in place with the Child Life and Expressive Therapies team. Bailee’s family said, “they took the worst time in a person’s life and made it enjoyable. She never was sad through all of it—she got better every time. They helped her stay positive and look forward to her next day, her next treatment.”
Bailee’s care included hospital stays, weekly treatments, and transfusions. Although her care was not received in her hometown, the two-hour drive to Marshfield still felt “close to home.” As time went on, Bailee’s appointments decreased to several times a month for another year and in July of 2020, she reached the end of her chemotherapy treatments.
Today Bailee is a brave, inquisitive, and outgoing girl. Her days are filled with quality time with her brother at home and playing basketball and softball with her friends. Bailee’s future is full of possibilities and there’s nothing that can stop her from what she wants to do—not even cancer!
Watch Bailee's video
Charlie loves music, slides, swings, and playing with his big sister Joy. He's silly, smart, and loves creating smiles in everyone around him. He's also proven his strength and bravery: at just 9 months old, Charlie was diagnosed with Hepatoblastoma, a rare childhood liver cancer.
Surgeons removed the large tumor as soon as possible, but scans found the disease had spread to his lungs. That kicked off an intense six-month schedule of weekly hospital stays for chemotherapy and on-going testing. Charlie and his family were filled with gratitude for his amazing oncology and pediatric nursing team, whose wealth of knowledge and experience answered every question and offered support throughout Charlie's incredible journey.
The Child Life and Expressive Therapy teams met Charlie's every need and more. They engaged him with music for special therapies and provided him clean, age- and ability-appropriate toys, from walkers to toy instruments. The team even created a custom Marshfield doctor's badge for his sister and threw the most special first birthday party a boy could ever have.
Charlie is officially in remission and eager to live his life to its fullest. Seeming on his way to becoming a Broadway star, Charlie turns on his charm for the spotlight, singing, dancing, smiling, and laughing.
Watch Charlie's video
Naomi was born urgently at 37 weeks after a lack of fetal movement, where she was found to have suffered a perinatal stroke. Naomi had an ischemic stroke where her brain was deprived of oxygen which resulted in her primary diagnoses of Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy.
The cause of her stroke remains unknown, and Naomi has numerous medical conditions that require her to receive continuous and comprehensive care. Luckily for Naomi and her family, their hometown children’s hospital, Marshfield Children’s Hospital, is home to over 40 pediatric specialties. Specialists in nearly every department, including neurology, GI/nephrology, genetics, cardiology, endocrinology, and more, all work collaboratively to provide Naomi with the best care for her physical and developmental needs.
Naomi has received care at Marshfield Children’s Hospital her entire life and her family is grateful for the skilled and dedicated care teams who are able to provide her exceptional care, close to home. Her mom Melanie says, “Seeing nearly every specialty and having multiple therapy visits since birth, having such access to these incredible services is truly life changing. These individuals are the ones that provide us support that over the last seven years has extended far beyond our scheduled visits.”
Naomi wears pigtails, bright colors, stars, and smiley faces but what you notice most is her shining smile! While Naomi will continue to follow various specialists and therapists for years to come, she is determined to live to her highest potential. She loves helping others and as a regular customer at Cattails Coffee in Marshfield Clinic, has high aspirations of being a barista or “coffee maker” one day.
Watch Naomi's video
Although they are seven years apart, Arianna and Emmet’s journeys with Spina Bifida began the same—during the very first ultrasound their mother received. When they were born, they both would receive the same surgery to guide their spinal cord back into place and close their spinal columns.
Quickly, they were introduced to many pediatric specialty departments, including urology, neurology, physical medicine, orthopedics, GI, endocrinology, physical and occupational therapy, and speech. They were invited into a specialty clinic that allowed all the specialists to meet in one location and develop their medical plans collaboratively. These care teams became an integral part of their lives, which was especially helpful when Arianna’s brother would require much of the same care—and more.
As Arianna got older, she was faced with another challenge, scoliosis. Typical treatments were unable to control Arianna’s scoliosis and she eventually underwent spinal surgery to fuse 13 vertebrae. Arianna came out of that surgery and still managed to see the silver lining: she was now an inch taller, no longer had to wear a body brace 24/7, and was able to wear normal clothes again.
Emmet’s diagnosis is more severe, as he cannot feel or control his legs below his knees. Since birth, he has required additional interventions for his bowel and bladder. He also has dislocated hips that have contributed to challenges with gross motor skills and thus far has received four corrective surgeries. Emmet needed a hip spica cast after each surgery, which proved to be exceptionally challenging with his bowel regimen.
On top of various other complications related to his Spina Bifida, including speech development issues and continued bowel and bladder dysfunction, Emmet experienced a seizure in 2021. After his third seizure, Emmet was diagnosed with epilepsy and has been on medication that has kept him seizure-free.
Arianna is currently in maintenance mode but requires follow-up appointments with her specialists. Emmet will continue to require specialty care and treatment but is doing better with each visit. The strength and positivity that these siblings have allows them to do all the things they love most—enjoying time together, with their family and friends.
Watch Arianna and Emmet's video